Theatre - Master of Fine Arts

The Department of Theatre is a vibrant, active department committed to teaching and training the artist-scholars of the future. In addition to our highly regarded seasons, we regularly invite theatre artists and scholars to join us in making and thinking about performance. We recognize that the creation of new work is the life blood of the theatre and to this end we provide opportunities for students to develop and create new performance work while maintaining connections to our history through productions of classic, modern and contemporary texts.

The Wexner Center for the Arts complements our own work with innovative offerings of cutting edge performing artists from around the globe.

The department offers diverse ways for students to connect with the theatre profession through internships and international opportunities.

The Master of Fine Arts in Acting with a focus on the creation of New Works at The Ohio State University prepares actors in the fundamentals of acting, with experience in classical and contemporary styles within the context of developing methods for creating original contemporary work. The program emphasizes the development of actors who can work in a repertory company setting as well as function as an independent artist producing original work. The program prepares actors to work in creative ways with local communities in realizing original works.

Our Master of Fine Arts in Design is a rigorous three-year program in which equal importance is placed on classroom studies and production program activity. A student may select a single area of emphasis from scenic, costume, and lighting design or elect to combine areas of design for emphasis. Additionaly, there are opportunies for students to study production work in sound and media. A student's program of study contains classes in all the areas of theatre that inform and enrich the area or areas of design selected. A student's progress in both the classroom and production program is carefully monitored by the design faculty through regular reviews. While an undergraduate degree in theatre is desirable, candidates possessing other undergraduate degrees will be considered.